Almost 300 extras and actors - joined by five articulated dummies - took turns playing dead on the Water Street sidewalk Sunday, as "The Surrogates" wrapped up a "climactic moment in the movie," spokesman Ernie Malik said. "They were crashing cars and there were dead bodies in the street. It's really the end of the movie. . . . It's hard to describe it without giving anything away." Action star Bruce Willis was not on set Sunday, but he did film a scene, in which he's seen leaving a hospital, on Franklin Street with costar (and FBI partner) Radha Mitchell Saturday.

It's a guys thing

In 2006, two guys came together to create "The Guy From Boston," a trash-talking, cigar-waving uber-Bostonian who promoted cigars for the one guy's shop (David Garofalo owns Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, N.H.) and gave local rant-aholic Joe Ligotti an outlet for his outrageous spewings. Fast-forward two years: Ligotti's a local celeb, a regular on Fox 25 who's appeared on "The Tonight Show," and Garofalo, who says he didn't want to pay Ligotti's manager, is out. Now a New Hampshire federal court judge has ruled that only Ligotti can use "The Guy From Boston" name, although Garofalo can keep his website, theguyfromboston.com. A "disappointed" Garofalo said he simply hired Ligotti to play a role, and that he should be allowed to use his creation to promote his 23-year-old cigar shop. Garofalo said he probably won't fight the judge's preliminary injunction, but he might create a new cigar-puffing dude to push his smokes. "I'm a guy who sells cigars," he sighed. "You have to be a lawyer to figure this all out. I don't like the way it ended, but it was fun while it lasted." Ligotti couldn't be reached yesterday, but in a statement his manager Frederick J. Balboni said Ligotti is The Guy From Boston: "Make no mistake about it, Joe Ligotti is no actor." And now, in a case of dueling websites, Ligotti can be found at theguyfromboston.net.

Penthouse sweet

The crane was back at Tom Brady's Beacon Street brownstone yesterday, hoisting an enormous box up to the Pats QB's pad. This is the second time in recent months that a section of the street was blocked off while items were lifted up to Brady's abode. Last time, it was flora and fauna for the penthouse. . . . No wonder Brady's girlfriend is the world's richest supermodel. To appear in two new Volkswagen ads that aired for the first time Sunday in her native Brazil, Gisele Bundchen was paid $2.5 million. Sylvester Stallone is also in the ads, but we're told the "Rocky" actor was paid only $800,000. You can see the spots on Youtube.com.

Marshal arts

No, that's not a male nurse in a Shaw's parking lot, it's actor Leonardo DiCaprio on the set of Martin Scorsese's new movie "Ashecliffe." In the film, which was shooting in Hull over the weekend, DiCaprio plays a US Marshal investigating the disappearance of a murderess who has escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.

Making things write

J.P. McCormick isn't quitting his day job - yet. But it may not be long before the Rhode Island resident and his writing partner Richard Raczelowski devote themselves to writing movie scripts. Exodus Film Group just optioned the pair's script about crayons whose colorful world is threatened by an evil tyrant. Even better, Christina Ricci is on board to voice the lead role of the timid crayon Yellow in "The Hero of Color City." "She's fantastic," says McCormick, who works at a Borders bookstore in Providence. "I've loved her since 'The Addams Family.' . . . You couldn't ask for a better person to be in your movie." The animated film, due out in 2010, will be accompanied by a line of merchandise, art supplies, interactive games, and educational products. McCormick met Raczelowski while both worked as customer service reps at BankBoston. Today, Raczelowski toils at Home Depot. "The goal is to be able to write full-time," said McCormick.

Friends and neighbors

Neal McDonough (inset) gets around. The guy was born in Dorchester, raised on the Cape, and now he's moving to Wisteria Lane. The Boston-bred actor is the latest addition to the cast of "Desperate Housewives." The "Boomtown" alum will be a regular on the show next season, playing a white-collar resident who may get cozy with Nicolette Sheridan's character Edie Britt.

At your service

"Top Chef" contender Dale Talde promises he'll dish up more than charred lemongrass beef and heirloom tomato-watermelon salad when he and costar Nikki Cascone do their cooking demos at the River Street Whole Foods Market in Cambridge today. "I'm an open book and anybody who wants to ask questions can," Talde said. One reveal: "[Fellow contestant] Andrew [D'Ambrosi] almost threw me through a window. No one knew that," the Buddakan New York City sous chef confided. The Cambridge cooking demos are the second stop on the "Top Chef" national tour. They'll take place in an 18-wheeler with seating for 38 and outdoor accommodation for another 300.

Setting up shop

Starting today, celebrity shutterbug Peter Simon and his wife Ronni are shopkeepers. Well, sort of. They've opened a new gallery on Martha's Vineyard featuring Peter's pictures and Ronni's custom jewelry. (One of her pieces will be worn by "Gossip Girl" actress Blake Lively on the first show of the new season.) "We realized we had two careers that could cohabitate," Carly Simon's sibling told us yesterday. He will be selling his Vineyard pics and his portraits of famous folks such as his sister, James Taylor, Bob Marley, Robert Plant, and John Belushi. Simon Gallery is located at 54 Main St. in Vineyard Haven.

Wedding cashers

Medford bride-and-groom-to-be Tammy Biggins, 28, and Michael McCormack, 27, are trying to win a $100,000 wedding - and they're getting close. The fun-loving couple, engaged since last fall, is one of three finalists in a US Weekly/ WeddingChannel.com contest and will appear in the mag tomorrow. "It's been a whirlwind," gushed Biggins, who has enlisted her entire Charlestown-based family to vote online nonstop. The nanny and Massachusetts General Hospital researcher were planning to tie the knot next March in front of 150 folks at the Oakley Country Club in Watertown. But winning a hundred grand would pump up their budget, so some extra fanciness will be in order, Biggins says. That means a swankier dress, more flowers, and way, way more decor. (As well as a September deadline.) "I was trying my hardest to get my fiance not to get white table cloths," Biggins complained. "But they came with the place! What I wanted was black and hot pink and white. Now this could be in my future."

Just for laughs, google him

Seth MacFarlane might as well just start printing money. The creator of "Family Guy" has a new gambit that's likely to be very lucrative. The Rhode Island School of Design grad's got a new show called "Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy," which will consist of two-minute clips distributed online via Google AdSense. The New York Times reports that Google will syndicate the show using its AdSense advertising system to websites popular among MacFarlane's audience - young men. Advertising will be incorporated in various ways, with MacFarlane getting a percentage of the ad revenue.